Apparatus for purifying water.



N0. 646,|08. Patented Mar. 27, I900.

- C. L. KENNICOTT.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING WATER.

(Application filedjune 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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PATENT OFFICE.

CASS L. nnnmoorr,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO Q. J. BLAIR, OF SAMEPLACE.

APPARATUS FOR" PU RIFYING WATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,108, dated March27, 1900.

Application filed June 5,1899. Serial No. 719,439. (No model.)

' cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Water-Purifying Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for softening water,more particularly according to the well-known process by which the limecontained in the water is-re moved by precipitation, as by mixing withthe water a solution of oxid of lime to change the soluble bicarbonateof lime in the water to carbonate of lime and by further mixing a sodasolution (caustic or carbonate) with the water to be softened to changethe sulphate of lime into hydrate of lime, which in turn acts on thebicarbonate of lime in the water, forming a precipitable carbonate oflime.

Among the more important objects of my improvement are to enhance theprecipitation in the water of its contained impurities by providing aconstruction of the apparatus which shall tend to induce theprecipitation with the downward current of the water flowing through theapparatus and to provide for automatically regulating the supply to thewater to be treated of the precipitating agent or agents by andaccording to the supply of such water to the'apparatus.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 shows my improved apparatus by a view in vertical sectionalelevation; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation, partlysectional, of means for adjusting the pumpstroke. I

A is a tank having an overflow t and provided, by preference, with ahopper-bottom a, having in its apex a sludge-draw-off opening closed bya valve b, provided with an operating-lever c for unseating it. Withinthe tank which forms the precipitating-tank and concentric therewith isa downwardly-flaring conduit B, which shouldbe of the same shape incross-section as the tank, in which it is shown supported at its lowerend by armsd, and a mixing-pan G is provided at the upper narrower endof the conduit. For a purpose 5o hereinafter explained the area of thebase of the conduit should at least approximately equal that of theannular space surrounding it, which is bounded by the tank-wall.Perforated annular diaphragms D D, preferably of the general funnelshape illustrated, are

provided in series about the conduit B.

A is a mixing-tank for an agent, as limewater, to be used in purifyingwater introduced for the purpose into the tank A; It is shown providedwith a hopper-bottom a, conmixing-chamber A in and opening at its lowerend into the tank A and containing alternating and mutually-lappingseries of baffle-plates g. A feed-pipe it leads from the tank A belowthe normal water-level therein into the mixing-pan C, and a pipe 1'loads known or suitable construction and represented as of thereciprocating-piston variety.

A power-chamber Gis supported to extend over the tank A and dischargesfrom its'lower end, through a spout k, into the mixing-pan 0. Within thechamber G is journaled a wator-wheel H, that shown being of theovershotvariety, driven by the fall of the water to be purified, through a spoutZ, from a redervoir I, formed in the upper end of the power-chamber andto which the water is supplied from any convenient source through a 0valve-controlled pipe m.

A is a tank supported over the tank A for containing another agent, as asolution of soda, (caustic or carbonateJfor purifying the water to betreated. The tank A discharges from its lower end into the mixingpan 0through a spout 70, having interposed in it a force-pu mp F,w'hich maybe like the pump F.

The pumps F and F are respectively geared from pulleys n and n by beltconnections roe At theup- 65 n and 11 each with a pulley n on the shaftof the wheel H, which is also geared by a belt connection n with apulley 2;, connected with the pulley v on the stirrer-shaft by a belt RThe operation is as follows: The proper solution, as of soda, issupplied to the tank A and another purifying agent, as ordinary lime inlump form, (indicated at 0,) is filled into the pocket f, in which waterfed to the tank A may have access to it through the perforated wall f todissolve it and become impregnated therewith to form lime-water. Forstarting, the tank A may be presumed to be filled with raw water orwater to be purified and the tanks A and A with their respectivesolutions. The raw-water supply from the reservoir I to the tank Ashould nearly equal the quantity extracted therefrom at the overflow 25,and the wheel H actuates the pump F to supply to the pan 0 a regulatedproportion of the solution from the tank A and the pump F to supply tothe tank A through the pipe 1? a regulated proportion of thealready-softened water from the tank A, the supply of each solutionbeing thus governed by the amount of water passing over the wheel. Theseproportions supplied by the pumps may be conveniently regir lated tosuit any requirement for a particular water to be treated by adjustingthe strokes of the pump-pistons. Means suitable for the purpose, butinvolving no feature of novelty, are shown in Fig. 2 and involve thefollowing construction: On the. axis of each pulley a n is fastened atone end a bifurcated arm 0', having slidingly confined in it a head 1from which projects the crank-pin 1' connected by a link 7 with the pumppiston-rod p, and a set-screw g, which works through a cross-head q,fastened on the end of the bifurcated arm, has a head 1 on its innerend, rotatably confined in a recess in the head 1*. By turning theset-screw to move the head 7" farther in or out with relation to thecrosshead q the stroke of the pump-piston is varied accordingly. Mixingof the soda solution from the tank A and the lime solution through thepipe h from the tank A with the raw water from the reservoir Itakesplace in the pan 0, changing the bi-carbonate of lime in the water toprecipitable carbonate of lime and any soluble magnesia compounds thatmay be contained in the water to insoluble precipitable compounds. Themixture flows from the pan C through the conduit B, and owing to theincreasing cross area thereof, due to its expansion in the downwarddirection, the rate of flow is accordingly decreased, thereby verymaterially enhancing the gravitation of the solid matters in theirdownward course, so that by the time the mixture reaches the bottom ofthe conduit it is almost entirely freed by precipitation of itscontained impurities, and the remnant thereof settles out and isintercepted by the perforated plates D in the upward flow about theexterior of the conduit to the overflow 15.

As will be observed, the supply of water for the lime solution made inthe tank A is taken from the tank A through the pipe i, washes past thelime in the pocket f, and passes down over the baffle-plates g toenhance the mixing, and the mixture is kept agitated by the stirrer E toaid in solution and prevent settling. Thus already purified or softenedwater is used for making the lime-water, instead of the raw orunpurified water. This affords a very material advantage in the way ofeconomy, since the insoluble bi-carbonate of lime contained inunpurified water envelops the particles of lime it washes from thepocket f and tends to prevent it from dissolving, thus necessitatingtaking up a larger proportion of lime for making the lime-water to giveit the required strength, whereas, by using, for the lime-water, watertaken from the purified contents of the tank, which are freed ofbicarbonate of lime, it readilydissolves the lime washed out of thepocket f without waste of the nature of that ensuing from the use of rawwater.

Owing to the corresponding areas of the base of the conduit B andannular space surrounding it there is no change in the rate of flow ofthe water from the conduit to the tank.

Vhile lime and soda are herein specified as the precipitating agents, myinvention is not intended to be limited thereto, as waters havingdifferent properties may require the use of other agents, which may beapplied in accordance with my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with theprecipitating tank, of a downwardly-flaring downtake-cond uit within thetank, said conduit having at its upper end an inlet for the water to bepurified and its contained precipitating agent or agents.

2. Inawater-purifying apparatus, the combination with the precipitatingtank, of a downwardly-flaring downtake-conduit within the tank, saidconduit having at its upper end an inlet for the water to be purifiedand its contained precipitating agent or agents, the area of the base ofsaid conduit being equal or approximately equal to that of the annularspace in the tank about said base for the purpose set forth.

3. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with theprecipitatingtank of a downwardly-flaring conduit supported there in andthrough which the water to be puri fied and its contained precipitatingagent or agents flow into the tank, and a mixing-pan surmounting saidconduit, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a water-purifying apparatus, the com bination with theprecipitating tank of a downwardly-flaring conduit supported therein andthrough which the water to be puri fied and its contained precipitatingagent or agents flow into the tank, and a series of perforated annulardiaphragms surrounding said conduit and extending across the upwardcourse of the water in the tank, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

5. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with theprecipitating tank, of a conduit within the tank, said conduit having atits upper end an inlet for the water to be purified and its containedprecipitating agent or agents, a mixingtank adjacent to theprecipitating-tank, a mixture-conducting pipe leading from themixing-tank to the inlet of the conduit, a water-conducting pipe leadingfrom the upper end of the precipitating-tank to the mixing-tank, and aforce-pump connected with the water-conducting pipe.

6. In awa'terpurifyin g apparatus, the com-v bination with theprecipitating tank, of a downwardly-flaring downtake-conduit within thetank, said conduit having at its upper end an inlet for the water to bepurified and its contained precipitating agent or agents, a motoradjacent to the tank said motor being driven by the water to be purifiedin its passage to the conduit-inlet,a precipitating-agent supplier andmeans actuated by the motor to regulate the supply of agent to theconduitinlet.

7. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with theprecipitating-tank containing a conduit through which the water to bepurified and its contained precipitating agent or agents flow into thetank, of a mixing-tank,

a mixing-pan surmounting said conduit,a miX- ture-conducting pipeleading from the mixing tank into said pan,a power-chamber emptying intosaid pan and communicating with the supply of water to be purified, awater-wheel in said chamber,a water-conducting pipe leadin g from themixing-tank into the precipitatingtank, and a force-pump connected withsaid water-conducting pipe and geared with said wheel to be actuated byit, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In awater-purifying apparatus, the combination with theprecipitating-tank containing a conduit through which the water to bepurified and its contained precipitating agents flow into the tank, of amixing-tank A communicating with said pan through a pipe h, a pipe'ileading from the precipitating-tank into said mixing-tank andcontaining a forcepump F, a mixing-tank A having a dischargespoutemptying into said pan and containing a force-pump F, a power-chamberemptying into said pan and communicating with the supply of water to bepurified, and a waterwheel in said chamber geared with said pumps toactuate them, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. A water-purifying apparatus comprising, in combination, a tank Acontaining a downwardly-flaring conduit B surrounded by the diaphragms Dand surmounted bya mixingpan 0, a mixing-chamber A discharging into saidpan through a pipe h, a pipe 1' leading from the tank A into saidmixing-tank and containing a pump F, a mixing-chamber A discharging intosaid pan through a spout containinga pump F, a power-chamber G discharging into said pan and containing a reservoir'I for the water to bepurified, and a water-wheel H in said chamber, driven by the flow ofwater from said reservoir and geared with said pumps to actuate them,substan= tially as and for the purpose set forth.

1-0. In a water-purifying apparatus,the com bination with theprecipitating-tank, of a con= duit within the tank, said conduit havingat its upper end an inlet for the water to be purified and its containedprecipitating agent or agents, a mixing-tank adjacent to theprecipitating-tank, a mixture-conducting pipe leadin g from themixing-tank to the conduit-inlet, a pipe-leading from the upper end ofthe precipitating-tank to the mixing-tank to supply purified water tothe latter, and means for controlling the purified-water supply.

CASS L. KENNIGOTT,

In presence of- R. T. SPENCER, D. W. LEE.

